The Lieutenant
by MarylandOriole
Summary: Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise are on their way to a peace conference when one of their crew goes missing. The crew member didn't leave by shuttlecraft or transporter. Their only clue is Q, but did he take her or did something else happen?


The Lieutenant

 _Captain's Log; Stardate 81126.88. We are on our way to a peace conference to solidify the peace between The Federation and The Romulan Empire. On the way, we were attacked by an unknown ship that wanted to stop us from reaching the conference. Our newest Lieutenant disobeyed a direct order that resulted in the defeat of this unknown vessel. I confronted the Lieutenant about what she had done, and she argued her case in front of the entire bridge._

Captain Picard was a balding French man of middle years. He had been the Captain of The Enterprise for thirty-nine years and a Starfleet officer for sixty years, but right now all he wanted to do was retire. One of the lieutenants, who was stationed on the bridge had done something that no lieutenant would ever do. She had gone directly against a direct order and had argued with him about it in front of the crew. She had been right in doing what she had done. She had saved the ship, but she had gone about it the wrong way. He had dismissed her from the bridge, but she hadn't gone back to her quarters. This was the last thing he needed with Ambassador Spock on board.

He walked down the well-known corridor that led to Ten-forward, and past the doors as they whooshed open. Everything at first appeared to be as it should be, but on second glance something was out of place. The lieutenant he had come to Ten-forward looking for was not here. Guinan, who tended the bar, was in her usual place. Counselor Troi and Commander Riker, married now, were sitting at a table talking and enjoying a chocolate sundae. Commander Worf was drinking prune juice and sitting with Geordi La Forge and Data, yet the lieutenant was missing. Where was that infernal child? Why did she always make everything so damn difficult? She wasn't in her quarters or sickbay. He had asked Dr. Crusher to help him find the Lieutenant. The doors whooshed open behind him and Dr. Beverly Crusher entered Ten-forward.

"I can't find her anywhere."

"Nor can I. Where could she have gone?"

"Jean Luc, you know that Marie never wanted to be assigned to The Enterprise."

"Yes, but she needs to have an eye kept on her at all times."

"I disagree. I think that she may need some space away from the crew."

"Thank you, Beverly, but I think the best place for her is here, especially after what her mother did."

"I still disagree, but she's your daughter, Jean Luc. Is it possible she left The Enterprise?"

"No, she wouldn't do that, but she is trying my patience."

Doctor Crusher just shook her head and left Ten-forward. Picard left a moment later. As he headed toward Marie's quarters again, he barked at the computer.

"Computer, Locate Lieutenant Marie Picard!"

"Lieutenant Marie Picard is not on board the Enterprise."

"How can she not be on board The Enterprise?"

"I do not have enough information to answer your query."

"Thank You."

The only ways for her to have left the ship were another ship, a shuttle, or Q, who hadn't bothered the crew of The Enterprise for three years now. He had no reason to come back now, unless he knew about Marie. He might think that he could play more improved games with her that he couldn't play with anyone else. The first thing to do would be to rule out another ship or a shuttle. Picard went to the nearest turbolift and went to the bridge. In his ready room, he checked the computer logs. Marie hadn't transported off of the ship and she hadn't taken one of the shuttles.

Picard tapped his communicator, "Commander Data?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Can you join me in my ready room?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Thank you."

Data arrived ten minutes later and touched the indicator on the door to let the Captain know he was there.

"Come in."

"Captain?"

"Data, I want you to run a diagnostic on the ships systems and see if you can locate Marie."

"Yes, Captain. I will start right away."

"Thank you, Data."

Data left to start his investigation.

I had been heading back to my quarters are being dismissed from the bridge. The next thing I was aware of was waking up in a cave of some kind. At first, I thought I was on the Holodeck, but when the computer didn't respond, I realized I was somewhere else. My father had warned me about an entity that could remove people from The Enterprise with the snap of its fingers. My father said his name was, oh what was it…it was…Q, that's it. Q. Had he taken me from the ship? I had explored the cave several times over the course of several hours or was it days. There was no way in or out of this cave. No place where a cave-in had occurred. Logic failed to help me in this situation. My father had told me time and time again not to rely on my logic alone, but it was not my way to be illogical like my father. There was no physical way out of the cave and therefore the only way in or out was by transporter. She would have to wait for The Enterprise to find me and transport me out of the cave. I decided to contemplate where I was and why I was there. Perhaps I could meditate on how to get out of here. I might come to a conclusion that I hadn't before. I got comfortable, and closed my eyes. Meditation would be best.

Three weeks had passed since Marie had disappeared. Data had found nothing wrong with the computer. This only frustrated Captain Picard more. How could she have simply disappeared? She hadn't left by shuttlecraft or by transporter beam. Q was looking more like the only option that they had. Captain Picard stepped out of his Ready Room onto the bridge. He looked over to the science station at the back of the bridge where Data and Commander Riker were bent over a console talking. Riker looked over at Captain Picard as he approached.

"Sir."

"Will, is it possible that Q has taken her?"

"I have found no evidence that that is the case, sir," Data answered.

"Yes, Q wouldn't have been silent for so long if he had taken her."

"Yes, Captain, he most likely would have done so by now."

"Sir. If Q didn't take her than who could have transported her off of the ship without us knowing they did it and through our shields?"

"I don't know Will. I honestly don't know."

Data's investigation wasn't going well. Even with Geordi, Riker, and Deanna's help, he still hadn't been able to figure out what had happened to Lieutenant Marie Picard. Captain Picard was anxious, worried and frequently short-tempered with members of the crew. Data understood why he was worried about her and anxious to find her. Marie was his daughter and the only one he had. At least as far as Data was aware. If it had been Data's Daughter, Lal, who was in Marie's position, he would have been worried and anxious as well. In Lal's case, she died. Hopefully, Marie would be alright.

Captain Picard was pacing his ready room, which was twelve steps across. His daughter was still missing. It had been almost six weeks now. He was more concerned about her welfare than he had ever been before. She could normally take care of herself, but she also had a habit of getting into fights. At all other times, she was as logical as her mother had been. She was a good officer as long as no one asked about her mother. The mother who had abandoned her when she was just a few hours old.

I didn't know how long I had been in the cave. I had had enough time to think about what had happened before I had arrived at the cave. I realized that, though my decision to disobey my father's order had been a logical choice, I should not have argued with him about it in front of the crew. I loved being on The Enterprise, but I always wished that I could know my mother and her people. My father would never let me go, and I was tired of fighting him. He would never let me go to Vulcan. He wouldn't even tell me why my mother had never come to see me.

I had let my emotions get the better of me more than once while stuck here. Hitting the walls didn't work, so I started yelling at the walls. That didn't work either.

"What do you want from me?"

"We want to know who you are and what you are."

"I'm…"

I had never been asked that question before. I knew who I was, but what was I. I wasn't all Vulcan, and I wasn't all Human and that meant the I was something else. I honestly didn't know how to answer them. What was I? I didn't belong wholly to one group of people or the other. Where did I belong? Where didn't I belong? I didn't belong on Vulcan. I had never been there and most likely would not be accepted if I wanted to stay there. I was accepted on The Enterprise. My father loved me. I didn't know what I was, but I had an idea as to who I was.

"Do you have an answer?"

"I am a Starfleet Lieutenant named Marie Alana Picard. I am half Vulcan and half Human. I was raised by my father, who is Human, and I have never known my Vulcan mother. I don't know what I am other than the daughter of Captain Jean Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise and T'pal of Vulcan."

"We see. You are still finding your place in the universe."

"I guess I am. Why did you take me from my ship?"

"We wanted to understand you. We will be returning you to your ship. We are sorry for any harm we may have caused. We will not take you from your home again."

Picard was still pacing. His Ready Room was exactly 12 steps across. 1, 2, 3… He'd been pacing since he walked into his Ready Room that morning. 4, 5, 6, 7… All he could think about while he paced was his daughter. 8, 9, 10… What was happening to her? 11, 12, 1… Was she okay? 2, 3, 4, 5… Was she alive? 6, 7, 8, 9… Was she dead? 10, 11, 12… Would they never find her? 1, 2, 3, 4… Where was she? 5, 6, 7… Who had taken her? 8, 9, 10, 11, 12… His door chimed. 1, 2, 3…

"Come."

Ambassador Spock stepped through the door, "Captain. I was wondering why there has been a great deal of activity going on of late."

"One of the crew has gone missing, Ambassador."

"Is there anything that I can do to help?"

"No, Ambassador there isn't much to be done."

"I see."

Picard's communicator chirped. He sighed and stopped pacing. He tapped his combadge, "Yes."

"Captain, could you come down to Sick Bay, please."

"Is something wrong, Doctor?"

"It would be best if I discussed it with you in person."

"Is it important?"

"Very."

"I'm on my way. Excuse me Ambassador."

"May I come along?"

"Of course."

He made it there in under five minutes. Dr. Crusher was waiting for him.

"What did you want to see me about, Doctor?"

"Hello, Ambassador. It's about Marie."

"What about her?"

"She's back. She just appeared on one of the beds."

"Where is she?!"

"In here, but keep your voice down. She's asleep."

His daughter was indeed asleep on one of the beds. He stopped in his tracks. Her black hair was matted like she had been held prisoner. He had always loved her hair. It flowed down her back like Pinot Noir into a glass. Her pale face was smudged with dirt, grime and blood. Her face had never been that pale before even when she had gotten a compound fracture. Her pointed ears were covered in small cuts like she had been scratched by something with tiny claws. Those ears were the only indication that she wasn't entirely Human. He moved to stand next to her. Other than the dirt and blood and cuts and broken nails, she looked fine. He would suggest that she talk to Deanna, though she probably wouldn't listen to him.

"She just appeared? And she's pale? Will she be alright? "

"She is going to be fine. She's exhausted, needs food, and some time to heal. As to how pale she is, the grime and her injuries, I believe she has been underground the whole time she's been missing."

"Dad?"

"I'm here, Marie," he said taking her hand.

"Why can't I meet my mother?"

Picard sighed, "Marie, your mother doesn't want you. She gave you to me when you were only a few hours old."

"Why didn't you tell me that?"

"I didn't want you to get hurt."

"Was it because I was half Vulcan?"

"I don't know, she never told me why."

"They won't take me again."

"Who are 'they'?"

"The ones that took me. The Aliens that took me. They wanted to know what I was."

"What was your answer?"

"That I am a Starfleet Lieutenant named Marie Alana Picard. I am half Vulcan and half Human. I was raised by my father, who is Human, and I have never known my Vulcan mother. I don't know what I am other than the daughter of Captain Jean Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise and T'pal of Vulcan."

Picard smiled down at her. Things would be different know, but perhaps these aliens had taken her because she needed to find the path that would lead her to finding out who she was. She was home now. Picard looked up at the sound of a soft tread. He had forgotten that Ambassador Spock had come to sickbay with him.

"Your daughter is half Vulcan?"

"Yes, she is."

"I would like to offer her the opportunity to learn about her Vulcan Heritage if she would like to learn about it and when she is feeling better."

"I don't know if I would want to do that."

"I would advise you that one doesn't get the chance to learn anything from the only half Vulcan to exist other than yourself."

"You're half Vulcan too."

"Indeed."

She smiled, agreed to take lessons from Ambassador Spock, who left a few moments later. Marie fell asleep again, and Picard sat down beside her. He watched over her until the next morning. She was the greatest gift he had ever been given, and he had been tough on her. Beverly had been right about one thing. He was glad she had finally figured out where she belonged. Her place was here on the Enterprise with her family.

I was glad to be home, but most of all I was glad that I wasn't the only person like me. Ambassador Spock was half Vulcan and I was half Vulcan. He could teach me what my mother wouldn't. It was great to be home with all of loud chattering members of her family.


End file.
